SSB Receiver

[michaelmrc]

Does anyone have any experience with ssb receivers am looking for something that only receives ssb channels weatherfax etc. Any suggestions or recomendations? Thanks

[Paul Elliott]

I have a Kaito KA1103 receiver as a backup, and it works well. It cost about $89 through Amazon: Amazon.com: Kaito KA1103 - Portable radio: Electronics

I prefer my ham rig, or my marine SSB, but the Kaito will do what you are asking for. Sony and others also make appropriate inexpensive radios. You want SSB reception (the radio needs a VFO for this), and digital tuning (PLL) is good.

[Hud3]

Try Googling "ssb receiver" using the link in my sig line.

[mrm]

I use Tecsun PL-600 for weatherfax reception. Was considering Degen 1103 (aka Kaito), but user interface threw me off. Both are inexpensive and both work OK.

[atoll]

grundig yacht boy 400pb works great with jvc comm 32 software,a 10-20 m external antenna wire helps as well

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by atoll

grundig yacht boy 400pb works great with jvc comm 32 software,a 10-20 m external antenna wire helps as well

We have used a sony for 15 years. Our model is obsolete but the current very similar unit is ICF-SW7600GR.

I agree about the external wire antenna - helps a lot.

Also don't expect to much with regard to weatherfax if/when you are sitting in a marina. There is often a lot of RF noise around which will snow the fax picture.

Also if you are having trouble getting faxes, turn everything on the boat off except the radio (especially all inverters, but including instruments and GPS etc). Often some of these will be producing rf noise. Then you can turn things back on one by one and find any particular culprits.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

Also if you are having trouble getting faxes, turn everything on the boat off except the radio (especially all inverters, but including instruments and GPS etc). Often some of these will be producing rf noise. Then you can turn things back on one by one and find any particular culprits.

12V fans and refrigeration compressors have been the two noisiest bits in my experience. I agree with Evans' approach of turning absolutely everything off and then switching things on one at a time to track noise sources down. Don't be surprised to find that there are number of additive noise sources.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

12V fans and refrigeration compressors have been the two noisiest bits in my experience.

And wind generators, even the one on someone else's boat anchored next to you.

[AfterHoursNLCT]

VFO is "Variable Frequency Oscillator". That's for tuning the frequency. I think Paul wanted to say BFO which is "Beat Frequency Oscillator" and that's getting old school (I'm dating myself). I think the modern rigs just have a mode selector now (LSB, USB, CW, FM, AM). I haven't seen a radio with a BFO in years but all of mine are ham rigs.......LL

[michaelmrc]

thanks everyone i was looking at this one Si Tex Nav Fax 200 Single Side Band Reciever its the SI-TEX NAVFAX 200 its definately more expensive but i wonder if its worth it.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

And wind generators, even the one on someone else's boat anchored next to you.

And the guy using a ham rig on marine HF/SSB frequencies ... that's a problem.

[AfterHoursNLCT]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

And the guy using a ham rig on marine HF/SSB frequencies ... that's a problem.

My HF radio is used for Ham. That's why it's a Ham radio but you can receive the WEFAX on it......LL

[AfterHoursNLCT]

OP said <receives ssb channels weatherfax etc.>....LL

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by michaelmrc

thanks everyone i was looking at this one Si Tex Nav Fax 200 Single Side Band Reciever its the SI-TEX NAVFAX 200 its definately more expensive but i wonder if its worth it.

That looks expensive to me. One of the radio guys will have to comment on whether the guts could produce much better results to justify the price vs the cheaper grundig/sony all band types.

One feature I use quite a bit on the sony is station/frequency memories. The Si-Tex looks to have 10 memories, and I typically use 20 or 30 (if there are multiple weather fax stations of interest).

I have bbc,voa,etc in one set of memories; and whatever the local weatherfax freqs in another set. Then when the time comes I can just push thru the weatherfax freqs and see which is coming in clearest. Sames a bit of effort vs having to tune them each in each time.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by AfterHoursNLCT

VFO is "Variable Frequency Oscillator". That's for tuning the frequency. I think Paul wanted to say BFO which is "Beat Frequency Oscillator" and that's getting old school (I'm dating myself). I think the modern rigs just have a mode selector now (LSB, USB, CW, FM, AM). I haven't seen a radio with a BFO in years but all of mine are ham rigs.......LL

Correct, I meant "BFO". And you're right, this isn't something you're likely to see on the front panel of a modern SSB radio of the type we're discussing. An SSB radio does contain a BFO, but it's part of the internal design, and hidden from the user.

What I should have said is to be sure your radio is set up for SSB, and isn't just an AM/FM/Shortwave receiver without SSB capability. Many of the less-expensive portable "shortwave" receivers cannot receive SSB, and so won't work for voice weather or weatherfax broadcasts.

The Kaito KA1103 user interface isn't the best, but it works and does have user-programmable memories. I've used its whip antenna to receive (on the northern California coast) the weather broadcasts from Hawaii. In general though, an external antenna is a good thing to have. You also want to be familiar with radio propagation characteristics, or at least be willing to try all the available frequencies until you find one that is coming in.